The head office of Jharia collieries division at Digwadih in Dhanbad. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, April 3: Tata Steel’s Jharia division, which primarily comprises underground collieries, is all set to celebrate the lead-up to its completing 100 years with a function here at Bhelatand Colliery on April 4.

A special logo to mark the centenary year of the division and a balloon release would mark the celebrations.

A brochure about the company — its history and present achievements and special features of the Dhanbad colliery — would be distributed tomorrow.

The high point of the celebrations would be acknowledging the dedication and commitment of the workers, miners and employees associated with the coalfields for the past 10 decades. Some former workers have been especially invited to attend the event.

The chief guest of the occasion would be N.H. Nerukar, the chief operating officer of Tata Steel. A.M. Mishra, the vice-president (raw material and coke, sinter and coke), will also attend the occasion.

The Jharia division, comprising six different collieries and spread across 5,500 acres, has contributed relentlessly to the expansion and growth projects initiated by the company. The six collieries of the division, which are divided into Sijua and Jamadoba collieries, have also pioneered technological innovations that have revolutionised underground coal mining in the country.

The fact that the colliery is environmentally efficient is evident from the fact that fly ash generated through its power plant is utilised for several purposes, including the growing of fruits and vegetables, filling up of the lowland and manufacturing of bricks.

A beautiful park, known as Dorabjee Park, has also been established by filling the lowland area by using the fly ash generated through the power plant. This apart there has been innumerable energy conservation projects.

The Bhelatand Colliery was acquired by Tata Steel in 1910 following the recommendation of Charles Perin, an eminent consulting engineer. After an elaborate survey of the iron ore and coal deposits in India, Perin concluded that coking coal in India could be obtained only from Jharia coalfields.

The company then acquired the Malkera Colliery in Sijua in 1918, both of which have been later grouped together and known as the amalgamated Bhelatand Colliery.